Tobacco smoking device



E. B. HELM 2,316,162

TOBACCO SMOKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1941 INVENTOR. BY 5mms0rz 3. fielm ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO SMOKING DEVICE Emerson B. Helm, Cleveland, Ohio Application January 21, 1941, Serial No. 375,244

6 Claims. MCI. 131-217) In the smoking of tobacco, there is an undesirable wide variation in the conditions between. the early stages of the smoking and the later stages. The zone of combustion advances progressively from the exposed end through the elongated mass,

and the hot gaseous products from the combustion zone in being drawn through the remainder of the mass are subjected to its cooling and condenser action, thereby progressively loading it up with condensate tars, water, etc. The residual tobacco becomes increasingly sog y and difl'icult to keep burning. But more seriously, all of this condensate, as the combustion zone advances, must be re-vaporized, with incidental decompositions, and also a detrimental action upon the tobacco, more or lesschemical in charactenas the condensate-soaked tobacco is subjected to the heat and boiling out of the condensate. In efforts at mitigation of the difiiculties, various suggestions have been made involving tapping oil of smoke at several arbitrary levels, but such constructions have not provided a satisfactory or uniform discharge with the travel of the combustion zone, and they have also been objectionable in related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and particu: larly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various Ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a large scale diagrammatic representation illustrating the vortical draft system involved in my improved constructions; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, partly broken and sectioned in order to show the interior more clearly; Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation,

on larger scale, of a detail; and Fig. 5 is an eleva,

products of combustion may pass from the combustion zone at any point as it travels progressively, and the combustion products may thence spiral away from theunconsumed tobacco mass,

and in progressively cooling in the very circuitous progressively, from each such point or traveling. zone, the products of combustion mayproceed.

directly, as indicated by the arrows, into the passageway system 5 provided, and dischargeultimately as indicated at :c by a conduit to the smokers mouth, while the mass of the tobacco'in advance of the combustion zone correspondingly escapes the effects of deposit of condensate and the various decomposition effects in ,re-vaporiza-.f

tion, etc. The chamber for holding the bulk smoking tobacco may be of such form as desired in detail in any given instance, and for example may be a pipe bowl 2, Fig. 2, provided with stem 3 and mouthpiece 4.

which extends from the inlet to the further end of the chamber and is in communication then with the smoke conduit 6 through the stem. and

mouthpiece. The, bulk tobacco as placed in the chamber is directly in facing relation with the groove throughout, the tobacco pieces or shreds bridging across the groove and leaving it clear as an unobstructed passageway, while the tobacco at every point has the groove directly accessible for discharge of products of combustion as the combustion zone progressively travels along. The spacing and size of the groove or rifling 5 may satisfactorily be nine turns per inch and one sixteenth inch deep, but the dimensions may vary, having regard of course to the conditions of clearance, etc., above noted.

Deposit occurring in the spiral groove and sub;- sequently coking as the combustion zone proceeds along, tends to build up coke such that in the course of time obstruction of the groove would result. As a further refinement of the invention I accordingly provide a coordinated grooveclearing means, whereby the groove may conveniently and easily be kept clear. The coke deposit formed by the combustion zone in a to- The inside wall ofthe chamher for holding the bulk smoking tobacco has a spiral or helical smoke-conducting groove 5 bacco pipe or the like is peculiarly hard and dense. I provide a milling cutter which fits the groove and travels therein, and a correlated advantage of the helical form of groove is that such a cutter requires only a rotary or turning movement for its use, the groove then causing the movement requisite in a longitudinal direction to sweep through the length of the grooving. Such a milling cutter may be of a size thus to fit as a short cylindrical body or disc M, Figs. 3, 4, this having peripheral cutter projections in with the pitch of the groove, and clearance spaces H between for escape of the cuttings. With the particular convenience, this milling cutter may normally seat in a position not obstructing communication between the smoke-conducting spiral groove and the conduit 6, this as indicated in Fig. 2 allowing the cutter to seat entirely out of the way, but available for instant use at any time desired. By providing the milling cutter with an exposed facial slot l2, Fig. 3, any screwdriver, pointed pieceof metal, flat key or the like may be inserted in the slot and the cutter may berotated, the cutting projections l following the groove 5 and removing incrustations cleanly asthe milling tool progresses through the groove. On then returning it to the base, out of the way, tobacco may be supplied, and smoking be carried on, as desired. In some cases, where it is not desired to have the cutter as a permanent installation in the tobacco holding chamber, it may have a small permanently attached handle I4, Fig. 5, by which its rotary movement in use may be had. The milling cutter may be of suitable metal.

' In smoking, the manner of use of the device is readily apparent from the foregoing, and it is noticed that the spiral groove system provides a free passageway exit for products of combustion, available so as to leave the tobacco mass in ad- Vance of the combustion zone free from necessity of receiving the combustion products and acting as. a condenser system therefor; and further the vortical form of the draft facilitates a kind of draft-action which is particularly effective. And it is noticed that with the very circuitous travel of the combustion products in the passageway thus affording a lengthened path of travel and 'greatercoolin'g, condensation is especially promoted in the passageway adapted to receive it, and the smoke reaching the mouth is correspondingly cool and freed from products otherwise carried through.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may. be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or .the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. Tobacco smoking means comprising a pipe bowl and stem, a smoke-conducting spiral groove in the inside wall of the bowl facing the tobacco, a smoke conduit leading from said bowl to communicate through the stem, and a cleaning outter adapted to optionally travel in said smokeconducting spiral groove to clean same or normally rest in a position not obstructing communication between the smoke groove and conduit, said cleaning cutter having a facial slot for a turning handle member and having smoke outlet passway means to divert the smoke away from the center of the tobacco.

2. Tobacco smoking means comprisinga chamber for holding bulk smoking tobacco, a smokeconducting spiral groove on the inside wall of the chamber facing the chamber, a smoke conduit leading from said chamber to a smokers mouth, and a cleaning cutter adapted to optionally travel in said smoke-conducting spiral groove to clean same or normally rest in a position not obstructing communication between the smoke groove and conduit, said cleaning cutter having a facial slot for a turning handle member and having smoke outlet passway means to divert the smoke away from the center of the tobacco.

3. Tobacco smoking means comprising a chamber for holding bulk smoking tobacco, a smokeconducting spiral groove on the inside wall of said chamber facing the tobacco, a smoke conduit leading from said chamber to a smokers mouth, and a cleaner for said spiral groove havg ing peripheral cutter projections fitting the groove and clearance spaces between the cutter projections for the passage of smoke when the cleaner is positioned Within the chamber.

4. Tobacco smoking. means comprising a chamber for holding bulk smoking tobacco, meansfor conducting'smoke in adevious cooling path outside the tobacco, including a smokeconducting spiral groove on the wall of said chamber exposed to and facing the tobacco, means providing an outlet passage only at the periphery of the tobacco, and means for clearing said spiral groove by movement in the same.

5. Tobacco smoking means comprising a chamber for holding bulk smoking tobacco, means for conducting smoke in a devious cooling path outside the tobacco, including a smokeconducting spiral groove on the wallof said chamber exposed to and facing the tobacco, means providing an outlet passage only at the periphery of the tobacco, a mouthpiece connected with said chamber, and a smoke conduit lead ing from said chamber'to the mouthpiece.

6. Tobacco smoking means comprising a chamber for holding bulk smoking tobacco, and means for conducting smoke in a devious cooling path outside the tobacco, including vortical. smoke-conducting means around the tobacco,

and means providing an outlet passage only at the periphery of the tobacco.

EMERSON B. HELM. 

